


Half-Life: Borealis (Alternate Timeline)

by TrashPxzzum



Category: Half-Life
Genre: Gen, Post-Half-Life 2: Episode Two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29154918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashPxzzum/pseuds/TrashPxzzum
Summary: Alyx Vance is missing and Gordon Freeman must reach the Borealis before the Combine locates it and takes control. He pairs up with two resistance soldiers, Maya and Elliot, to navigate zombie-infested villages, take down stray Combine units and chow down on Antlion grubs after their helicopter is taken down by Combine Gunships.Gordon reaches the Borealis and pairs up with more allies along the way. Together they must survive Combine ambushes, Advisors and face their common enemy - The G-Man. Will Gordon find Alyx Vance, or is she doomed to become the next Freeman? Will they destroy the Borealis, or save it? Tough choices and sacrifices will be made.[This fanfiction is subject to minor changes and edits.]





	Half-Life: Borealis (Alternate Timeline)

_“Gordon...Gordon? Wake up! C’mon, get up!”_

Muffled words circled Gordon’s mind as darkness consumed his vision and mind. Silhouettes of everything he had witnessed flashed in intervals, familiar faces calling out for him as heavy footsteps of Combine units drowned them out. 

_“Gordon!”_

The voices grew louder, overlapping each other until they were nothing more than jumbled noise. He felt like he was falling, just like when you suddenly fell off a ladder in a dream and you just keep on falling. As he sank deeper and deeper into nothingness, the voices gradually died down and the darkness began to transition into a bright, white light. A familiar black figure was walking closer and closer until it was in full view, two glowing irises piercing through the featureless shadow.

_“Wake up.”_

_Warning, vital signs critical. Seek medical attention._ His eyes slowly fluttered open as he gasped, slowly making sense of the world around him as he sat up weakly, only just processing the pulsating pain in his head. He placed a hand against the source to ease the uncomfortable sensation, noticing upon readjusting to his surroundings that Alyx was nowhere to be seen. His ears were ringing.

“He took her, Gordon. He took Alyx. My baby girl…she’s gone.” Freeman recognised the old, hoarse voice and immediately knew what had happened despite the fact he had barely been conscious for ten seconds. He pinched the bridge of his nose in defeat, immediately noticing that his glasses were not on his face - he squinted and ran his gloved hands across the cold ground, feeling up the hard rectangular frame before slipping them back onto his nose, now being able to identify the man in front of him. As soon as he regained his vision, he noticed a figure standing on the railings higher up in the corner of his eye. He whipped his head to the left and his eyes darted in the same direction to make sure he was truly seeing it and as he expected, it was gone. At this point he didn’t know if it was him, or if it was just a hallucination after bumping his head. With how painful it was, he wouldn’t be surprised if this led to a concussion. He looked up at Eli, furrowing his eyebrows before slowly getting back onto his feet with a stumble. The older man was pacing around in frustration and confusion, fear and anger plastered onto his face. “I fear what he could do to her. He did it once, I knew he would do it again. That son of a bitch, I swear when I next see him I’m gonna-”

_THUD_. Dog had swung in from the roof, landing on his heavy metal feet which caught Eli by surprise. Gordon placed a hand onto Eli’s shoulder and Eli looked him in the eyes. Freeman’s gaze spoke more words and emotions than he ever could.

“You’re right, Gordon. Now isn’t the time...” Dog approached them both with a quiet ‘woop’ and held out a crowbar to Eli, to which he handed it to Gordon with a familiar smile. “We got work to do.” Gordon clasped it in his hand, almost relieved to see it again. That familiar sensation of the smooth, cold metal in his hand would never get old.

Well...I’m not sure what we do from here, but I think we should check in with Kleiner. We need to get you ready to head towards the Borealis. Then...we can find Alyx.” Gordon was looking at Eli like a deer in headlights. Vance rubbed his chin and then gave Freeman a questioning gaze, almost like he wasn’t sure if Gordon knew what had happened. That blow to the head probably knocked a bit of sense out of him. “You saw what happened, didn’t you? The Advisor...Alyx...it happened so fast. That thing was zapped in seconds...like a fly caught in an electric fly trap.” Gordon nodded, now able to recall some of the events after being prompted. “You were out cold the moment the Advisor fell to the ground, but I saw him. He was there next to her, looking at me with that bastard smile before they were gone,” He snapped his fingers, 

“Just like that. I’m sure I should have been dead at that moment. I knew as soon as Alyx spoke those words, something would happen. I’m still confident it wasn’t my impending death that he was referring to.” Gordon wanted to say something, but he wasn’t really sure what to say. He doubted it would be of any use. “Ah...sorry, Gordon. You have better things to do than listen to an old fool like me rambling, what’s done is done. Let’s get you prepared for your next journey.” He looked at the robot towering over them. “Dog, scout the area. If you see any more Combine units, don’t hesitate to take matters into your own hands. We can play fetch with the leftovers.” Dog whooped excitedly, tapping his metallic claws against the ground like a playful puppy before climbing up and out of the hangar’s smashed window, disappearing out of sight.

Freeman turned to walk, but Eli held his shoulder gently, naturally compelling him to turn back around.

“Gordon…” Freeman looked the old man in the eyes, “Promise me you’ll destroy it, no matter what anyone says. You know what the consequences are if the wrong person gets their hands on that thing.” Gordon looked at the ground briefly and then looked back up at Eli, his brain full of cotton. Was he actually paying attention or did he just think he was? “I know you’ll make the right decision...even if I end up being wrong.” The scientist stood still and simply gave Eli a small nod once more before turning to walk towards the small elevator. Vance followed him, his own thoughts and worries echoing through his mind. As they walked out of the hangar and into the open air, Freeman stopped as he stared at the clouds where the superportal once was. His thoughts were loud and he was conflicted. 

“Everything alright, Gordon?” Eli asked. Freeman looked at his crowbar and gripped it tight in his hand. He wasn’t sure if he should answer, and came to the decision that he shouldn’t. For Eli and Alyx’s sake. He kept walking, giving Eli a faint smile that meant ‘don’t worry about it’. They both continued on until they reached the control room and silently approached Kleiner, who seemed to appear nervous as he fumbled around with his papers and computer monitors.

“Ah Eli! Gordon! Thank goodness you’re here. I saw Advisors approaching the hangar almost out of nowhere and oh goodness I was so worried- wait a minute, wasn’t Alyx with you?” Vance went silent and Freeman gave him a side-eye, urging him to say something.

“Uh I’ll explain later. Right now we need to hear your thoughts on how we can get Gordon to the Borealis safely. You got any plans?”

“Ah...well lucky for you I do! First thing’s first, I will need to make a few tweaks to your HEV suit, Gordon - if you’re heading to the Arctic we will need to install temperature regulators. Without them your suit could malfunction or components could be damaged due to the cold weather...we wouldn’t want that now, would we? I will also be installing new boots which will help you grip onto ice so you don’t slip! That should get you across the Arctic lickety-split.” Kleiner tapped his hands together excitedly. “I will be adding a few more handy additions too which I think you’ll enjoy playing around with. Now then, Gordon if you’d be so kind to take off your suit so I can implement the new upgrades?” Freeman didn’t really want to get changed in front of the lads, so he went to find a private spot. Once he was out of sight, Eli signalled for Kleiner to come closer.

“If I told you what happened to Alyx you wouldn’t believe it. _It was him again_. The man I told you about all those years ago back at Black Mesa..on that exact same day.” Kleiner’s eyebrows raised in surprise. 

“The same one? Oh goodness, what happened?” Eli inhaled sharply.

“He’s been targeting Gordon. And now, he’s taken my daughter. I fear he is a lot more dangerous than I was initially led to believe and I have no doubt that he was responsible for the Black Mesa Incident. The Seven Hour War. He’s up to something and I don’t like it one bit. I worry that our plan....” He stopped himself, knowing he didn’t need to finish. Kleiner couldn’t help but feel fascinated by what he was hearing, but at the same time he was just as nervous and uncertain as Eli was.

“So you’re saying that there’s someone else working for the Combine?” Vance shrugged.

“Hell if I know. But listen to me, we need to destroy the Borealis and that is what we are going to do. When Gordon arrives, he is to set it to self-destruct.” Kleiner still looked disappointed and also rather unkeen on the idea.

“Eli-” 

“No, Isaac.” Eli huffed and looked visibly irritated. “I know you have good intentions, but we’ve already learned what meddling with powerful forces can do, I am not letting it happen again. Do you understand?” Kleiner knew better than to argue with Vance, but serious consequences were looming over them.

“But...destroying the Borealis with Gordon that close in range is suicide! Are you really implying that-”

“I trust that he’ll make it out. He’s already agreed to this task and he’s survived much worse. Don’t lose faith in him now.”

Freeman entered the room dressed in the usual resistance soldier uniform. Both Eli and Kleiner stopped their discussion and looked at him, almost bewildered at how different and naked he looked without his suit on. Gordon tilted his head a bit as if to say ‘stop staring’. This prompted Eli to laugh. “Don’t worry son, you’ll have your good ol’ suit back before you know it. I know you two are inseparable.” He guided him to the exit of the control room, “now then...you should get rested up. It’s getting late and you have a long day tomorrow.” Freeman was almost relieved by those words and followed Eli to the nearest resting spot. “There’s a medkit in there too if you want to tend to that nasty bump on your head.” 

\----------

Freeman’s eyes snapped open and he jolted from his bunk, his eyes darting around the room. It was almost pitch black and other resistance members were fast asleep in their own bunks around him. Upon being awakened he took a deep breath and held his head, feeling the bandage he had placed against the bruise - it was still sore and the pain shot through his skull like a drill when he pressed against it, but he didn’t think it would bother him all too much tomorrow. He would probably have more important things to worry about. He didn’t really fancy going back to sleep after that anxiety dream. After first assuming he was hearing things, he heard a faint whisper from the bunk next to him.  
  
“Psst, Mr. Freeman.” He shifted over slightly and saw the dark figure of a young woman soldier leaning forward slightly from her bunk. “Sorry to disturb you but, I’ve been appointed to work with you tomorrow. It’s an honour to finally speak with you, sir. I’ve heard so much about you.” 

He wanted to go back to sleep. 

“It’s alright if you don’t want to talk right now, I understand it’s late and you need your sleep. You _are_ Freeman, aren’t you? I hope you are, that would be very embarrassing otherwise.” Freeman didn’t respond, which slightly reassured the soldier with her question. “You’re a quiet one, ain’t you? Not that it’s a problem or anything, it really says a lot about you. It’s almost admirable. A silent hero.” There was a long pause, which sparked awfully painful awkwardness between the two. “Uh, sorry. I’ll let you sleep now.” The soldier tucked herself back into her bed and muttered something under her breath - most likely a curse word. Gordon shifted himself onto his back, staring at the ceiling. Despite the awkward encounter, he appreciated the enthusiasm. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

\----------

The next morning, two resistance soldiers began boarding the helicopter as Eli and Gordon stood next to each other by the helicopter door, bidding each other farewell. The pair of them were excited but also nervous, as you would be.  
  
“Well Gordon, this is it. You’re on your way to the Borealis. I hope your new HEV suit is just as comfortable as it was before.” Gordon looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists almost like an excited child. Vance handed him a helmet to go with his new suit, along with his crowbar and a pistol with its holster. “Do be careful, alright? We don’t know what to expect when you arrive. But don’t worry, we’ll be able to communicate to you through your HEV radio a lot better thanks to Kleiner’s enhancements if you ever get into trouble. Oh and there’s a camera in there too so you can show us anything you think is important. You might be doing that a lot.” 

The helicopter engines started up which prompted Eli that it was time to let Freeman go. “Before you go...I need to ask you a favour.” He lowered his eyebrows. “Don’t tell Alyx anything. She cannot know.” Gordon nodded, a little unsure as to what Eli was specifically referring to, but he kept his word.  
  
“Alright Freeman, the helicopter is all ready!” The pilot called out.  
  
“That’s your cue. Good luck. And remember what I said.” Freeman clambered into the helicopter, closing the door as the helicopter slowly rose from the ground as the ceiling opened up, the strong propeller blowing all nearby debris out of the way until it was up and out of sight.

Eli watched Gordon leave and peered over to the same spot where Alyx was standing moments before she disappeared the previous day, yearning for her safe return.

  
  



End file.
